Indian death row convict's case to be reviewed in Singapore

Singapore: An Indian national is among two death row convicts in Singapore whose sentences were sent back to court for review, the first such cases under a new law.

The case of Gopinathan Nair Remadevi Bijukumar, 37, on death row for murder, was the first to be heard by a Singapore court Tuesday, which then sent it back to the high court for re-sentencing, local media reported Wednesday.

Previously, death was mandatory for all murder convicts in this nation state. However, the law was amended to give judges sentencing discretion in select murder cases.

Bijukumar is convicted of stabbing to death a Filipina prostitute in March 2010 after she refused to return the money he had paid for sexual services.

The other case involved a Malaysian man convicted of murdering a Chinese construction worker.